Mid Suffolk

Mid Suffolk's population expanded in the 10 years leading up to the latest census. Data from the census also show there were changes in religion and work life.

The population reached nearly 97,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Mid Suffolk increased by 11%, from just over 86,800 to 96,700.

The addition of almost 9,900 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Mid Suffolk was home to, on average, 0.79 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across Eastof England

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Eastof England, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Mid Suffolk

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Mid Suffolk increased by three years, from 41 to 44 years.

This rural area had a higher average age than Eastof England and remained older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of about 4,600 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by almost 2,000.

About 14% of people in Mid Suffolk are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Mid Suffolk by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk that rented privately increased from 8.4% to 11% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11%) households lived in social housing, compared with 12% in 2001. The percentage of Mid Suffolk households that owned their home decreased from 77% to 75%.

The proportion of privately rented homes decreased faster here than in any other local authority district across Eastof England. But despite the improvement, Mid Suffolk remained less healthy than the regional average 15% in Eastof England described their health as good in 2011).

Private renting in Mid Suffolk increased by 2.8 percentage points

Percentage of households in Mid Suffolk, Eastof England and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

Mid Suffolk saw Eastof England's largest rise in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11%) people aged 16 and over in Mid Suffolk said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner, compared with 9.2% in 2001. The percentage that said they were married decreased from 60% to 57%.

Across the region, Tendring saw the next largest increase in the proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner (from 11% in 2001 to 13% in 2011).

During this period, Mid Suffolk went from having the 41st-highest to the 18th-lowest percentage of people who had divorced or separated out of 309 English local authority areas.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The rate of unemployment increased in Mid Suffolk, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Eastof England, except Cambridge.

Every local authority area across Eastof England saw a rise in the proportion of unemployed people, as the regional average grew from 2.6% to 3.8%.

The rate of unemployment was lower than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were unemployed across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Mid Suffolk

The number of people in Mid Suffolk that described themselves as having no religion increased from about 13,000 in 2001 to just under 27,000 in 2011. This represents a change from 15% to 28% of those who chose to disclose information about their religious beliefs.

The percentage increased by more than the average across Eastof England (from 17% to 28%) and the average across England (from 15% to 25%).

The number of people in Mid Suffolk that described themselves as Christian decreased from just under 67,000 in 2001 to about 62,000 in 2011 (from 77% to 64%). The number of people who did not disclose their religious affiliation increased from just over 6,500 to just over 7,500 (from 7.5% to 7.8%).

Just over 330 people (0.3%) said they identified with a religion other than Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism or Sikhism, up from about 230 in 2001 (0.3%).

The population without a religion in Mid Suffolk increased by 13 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Mid Suffolk by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Mid Suffolk

The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.5% to 7.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.2%) reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, compared with 2.5% in 2001. The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability decreased from 90% to 89%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 6.9% in 2001 to 6.8% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 6.8% to 6.5%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Mid Suffolk working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 17% to 14% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 15% in 2001 to 11% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 13% to 10%.

Long hour working in Mid Suffolk decreased by 3.9 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Mid Suffolk, Eastof England and England that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 6.7% to 4.0% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (83%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 71% in 2001. The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22% to 13%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 7.6% in 2001 to 4.7% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Mid Suffolk decreased by 2.7 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Mid Suffolk, Eastof England and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More single parents

The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk, which comprised a single parent, increased from 6.1% to 7.6% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over 4 in 10 (41%) households had a married couple, compared with 45% in 2001. The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 8.4% to 9.9%.

The proportion of single-parent households increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 8.1% in 2001 to 9.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.5% to 11%.

The percentage of households with a single-parent in Mid Suffolk increased by 1.6 percentage points

Percentage of households in Mid Suffolk, Eastof England and England that had a single parent, March 2001 and March 2011

More homes without children

The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk without children increased from 62% to 63% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (28%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 30% in 2001. The percentage of households in Mid Suffolk with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.9% to 9.1%.

The proportion of households without children increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (which remained close to 61%). Across England, the percentage remained close to 61%.

The proportion of households without children was higher than across Eastof England

Percentage of households without children across local authority areas in Eastof England and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Mid Suffolk

The number of people in Mid Suffolk from the White ethnic groups increased from about 86,000 in 2001 to about 95,000 in 2011. However, as a percentage of the local population, this represented a decrease from 99% to 98%.

The percentage decreased by less than the average across Eastof England (from 95% to 90%) and the average across England (from 91% to 85%).

The number of people in Mid Suffolk from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed) increased from about 460 in 2001 to just over 950 in 2011 (from 0.5% to 1.0%). The number of residents from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from about 230 to about 650 (from 0.3% to 0.7%).

Just over 370 people (0.1%) said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups, up from about 94 in 2001 (0.4%).

The population from the White ethnic groups in Mid Suffolk decreased by 1.1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Mid Suffolk by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Mid Suffolk residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 0.9% to 1.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.6%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of Eastof England (from 0.9% in 2001 to 1.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Mid Suffolk remained close to 1.1%

Percentage of usual residents in England, East and Mid Suffolk by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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